How to Start Your Own Herb Garden

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How to Start Your Own Herb Garden

Overview

Herbs are extremely productive, and when grown fresh in the garden they have a stronger taste than what you get at the supermarket. For the beginner, choosing herbs is the most difficult part. Strong herbs such as winter savory, rosemary and sage are great for meaty dishes, while sweet basil, dill, mint, sweet marjoram, tarragon and thyme impart only part of their essence. Planting herbs, once the correct ones are chosen, is a simple process.

Step 1

Choose an area that is around 20 feet by four feet to supply fresh herbs for the average kitchen, according to the West Virginia University Extension. 12-inch to 18-inch pots are suitable, placed into the same area if outdoor soil is not available.

Step 2

Find a suitable area with well-draining soil and mix three to four inches of organic material into the soil, down to a depth of six inches, suggests the Wyoming University Extension.

Step 3

Dig the garden down to a depth of 16 to 18 inches and add a three-inch layer of crushed stone to improve drainage if the soil is not draining well, suggests the West Virginia University Extension.

Step 4

Sow seeds according to the variety in boxes indoors during winter to germinate the seeds, suggests the West Virginia University Extension, and transplant the seedling outdoors once the chance of frost has passed.

Things You'll Need

Organic matter

Soil

Water

References

West Virginia University Extension Service: Growing Herbs in the Home Garden

Utah State University: Getting the Most Out of Your Herbs

University of Wyoming: Growing Herbs in Wyoming

Keywords:
herb garden, growing herbs, home gardening basics

About this Author

Cleveland Van Cecil is a freelancer writer specializing in technology. He has been a freelance writer for three years and has published extensively on eHow.com, writing articles on subjects as diverse as boat motors and hydroponic gardening. Van Cecil has a Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts from Baldwin-Wallace College.